Protection of Freedoms Bill — Clause 64 — Level of Supervision of Volunteers Working With Children for Exemption from Barring Regulations — 19 Mar 2012 at 20:00

Chris Grayling MP, Epsom and Ewell voted against requiring volunteers working with children to be under close audio and visual supervision, rather than just reasonable supervision, for them to be exempted from regulations barring people from working with children.

The majority of MPs voted against requiring volunteers working with children to be under close audio and visual supervision, rather than just reasonable supervision, for them to be exempted from regulations barring people from working with children.

MPs were considering the Protection of Freedoms Bill[1]. The amendment rejected in this vote was:

“(2C) The reference in subsection (2B)(b) to day to day supervision is a reference to such day to day supervision as is reasonable in all the circumstances for the purpose of protecting any children concerned.””

Line 3, [Subsection (2C), second line] leave out from first ‘to’ to end of line 5 and insert ‘constant monitoring by an individual engaged in a regulated activity who is on the same site and able to maintain close visual and audio contact with the individual who is under supervision.’.

The amendments relate to Clause 64 of the Bill[5][6] titled Restriction of scope of regulated activities: children which amends the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 which is on the subject of the regulation of activities including teaching, caring for, advising or treating children.

The relevant subsection 2B(2) to which the amendments relate are on the subject of the level of supervision required for volunteers, which in the Bill as originally stood it stated:

any such work which is, on a regular basis, subject to the day to day supervision of another person who is engaging in regulated activity relating to children”

The Bill sought to remove supervised volunteers from the scope of regulated activity (activity which an individual can be barred from doing); the amendment which was the subject of this vote was on specifying that this supervision must be "close visual and audio contact" rather than merely being "reasonable" (as in the Lords amendment) or just "day to day supervision" as in the Bill as it stood.

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